Little Food Thief

Avery gets really messy during dinner time because she can't sit still.  She is litterally almost tipping over her bumbo seat trying to grab at things that catch her eye.  This particular day, Emily's dinner looks scrumptous enough to steal, I caught her in the act and snapped a photo.  Her next face is so innocent, even if it does have the contents of dinner all over it.

My Two Teeth

Emily at 18 Months Old

Emily had her 18 month wellness checkup recently and she now weighs 24lbs. 3oz. and is 33 1/2 in. long.  She passed her checkup for autism with flying colors and did better at the doctor's office with only a few tears.  I was so excited to hear that this time around she would only receive one shot and better yet, she wouldn't have to receive any more shots until the age of 4.  After months of boogies, the flu, colds and cough we were looking for easier times now that spring has sprung, but unfortunately more ailments seem to creep up on us.  Two weeks ago Emily contracted pink eye and this week she got hand, foot, and mouth disease from a student at school.  It sounds like an awful diagnosis to have, but all it entails are blisters on the soles of the hands and feet and sores in the mouth.  There is no medication to provide only Tylenol for pain or fever. 

Aside from the illnesses, Emily has started to recognize and remember stories, songs and people.  Lately she has started to point to people and say their name or point to animals she recognizes and then make the sound they would make.  Emily watches and mimics many things and it is really funny to watch her try what she has observed.  Everyday when having a bath I play with her fish toys and sing the theme song to the movie Jaws that ends with tickle to her tummy.  As I was gathering the towels for her I could hear her try and sing the Jaws theme song and then end with a tickle.  I was cracking up inside.  She has learned how to "sing" (she really doens't say the words) Ring around the Roses.  She hums most of the words and then says "Ahhh, ahhh" for ashes, ashes and then she says down and falls down.  So cute!  Pretend time is just starting to develop but hasn't really manifested.

Emily is doing really well in school and is getting along great with her friends except when she is biting them.  Yes, my daughter is now in a biting phase and just the other day she got suspended from school for biting three times in one day.  I had to pick her up and I felt so bad.  She has bad days and then she has good days.  Everyone I ask for advice from says the only way that she is going to learn not to bite is for us to bite her back when she bites us. So I have started to bite her back and hopefully she is getting the idea.  When she bites me I wag my finger at her and say NO, NO, NO and then lightly bite her.  She has never cried (I don't bite hard enough to make marks) but she will make a sad face.  At that point I'll tell her I'm sorry and kiss her where I bit her and then I'll have her say sorry and kiss where she bit me.  So far so good, but we've got a long way to go. Other than the biting she is a really good kid.  Just today I saw her playing with her friend Katie at school.  They grabbed each others hands and then started dancing.  It was the cutest thing ever.

Emily is getting longer hair and will not let me do anything with it but comb it so it isn't messy in the morning.  Sometimes when I pick her up from school she has two pigtails and looks adorable.  It takes two of her teachers to do her hair, one to distract her while the other to create pigtails.  I'll have to learn how to do it myself lest my daughter go to school with sloppy hair everyday.  Things Emily is into right now include balloons, balls, crayons, and sidewalk chalk.  She is still learning how to color with crayons and I have to watch her otherwise she will put them in her mouth or bite them.  The same goes with the sidewalk chalk, she seems to love to scribble with them but then will try and taste it.  Lately she and daddy have been drawing some lovely things on the floor in the garage.

Most of the time Emily is a good child but she has started to throw a couple of tantrums when she doesn't get her way or yell when she isn't getting attention.  She is also very witty and will test your limits.  The other day she had a sippy cup that leaks water when tipped over, so she would tip it over and make a puddle on the table.  After numerous times of telling her "no" she looks at me and slowly tips over her cup just enough to not let the water come out, and then starts to make a bouncy motion testing whether or not I was going to do anything about her defiance.  This at 18 months, I can only imagine what she will try at 16 years old.

Yelling into the bucket



She has a blue dot on her upper lip from sticking the crayon in her mouth



Pigtails

Emily likes her pigtails

Jumping Causes Fatigue

Avery at 7 Months

Our little baby is growing up too fast.  I can't believe she is in the latter part of her infant stage.  Soon she will be a toddler like her big sister and Lord knows I will need some super powers if she is anything like Emily. 

The big news at 7 months is Avery's brand new pearly white!  She finally got her first tooth and is still going crazy with her teething; biting everything and anything in sight.  You aren't able to see her tooth yet as it still has a ways to grow, but you can feel it with your finger.  Teeth will definitely help in the eating department, right now Avery is eating baby food at daycare and at home.  She gets fed at noon and then at dinner time to get her into a routine.  Spoons are a little trouble because she sticks out her tongue when trying to receive her food, but after a copule of bites she gets the hang of it.

My observant child is ever so nosy, she wants to see and be apart of everything that is going on around her.  I don't leave her alone without entertainment too long or her unpleasant side soon comes out leaving me with regret and an ear full of loud wails.  I have to remember to leave her playing with toys and walk away from her with her back towards me so she doesn't see me leave.  Avery sits for long periods of time now so it is easy to let her sit and play on her play mat while I try and get things done around the house or get dinner started.  Sometimes I will place her in her jumperoo which she loves. Avery has now figured out how her contraption works and loves to jump for long periods of time. It is hilarious when you take her out of her jumperoo after a long jumping session because she will jump as if she is still in it until she adjusts herself to not moving.  I can't leave her alone too long with Emily though because big sister is still learning how to play gently and is also going through a biting stage.  It is still a sight to see when Emily makes Avery laugh.  Avery loves her big sister and will laugh or smile anytime Emily comes near her.  It just melts your heart to see them playing with each other and enjoying each others company. 

Although her sitting and jumping skills are great, she still hasn't learned to crawl yet.  Lunging forward is as far as she has gotten but I am sure it won't be too long before she starts to try to move forward, or maybe backward.  Avery may not be able to move around much but she sure can speak her mind.  Her speech has developed into a rhythm of goo-gaa, aahs, and oohs.  I'm working on her words by constantly speaking to her and repeating words and sounds.  We will see if she says mama or dada anytime soon.  I think it will be in the next few months.  But for now I am content with her baby sounds because it means she is still my precious baby and I am cherishing these last moments with her as my infant child.

Emily's First Trip to the Texas State Aquarium

Emily's Nonna took her on her first trip to the Texas State Aquarium yesterday.  Emily had so much fun with her Nonna and her Auntie Alyssa, playing with the water and watching the big fish and the otters.  She didn't enjoy when the big fish came too close to the glass, but she did like the statues and the water fountains.  I am so glad she enjoyed herself and we plan to take her back throughout the summer.  Her souvenir for the day was a plastic ball from the gift shop, she is really into bouncy balls at this age.

Reaching for the fish hanging from the ceiling of the aquarium

Waiting to see the fish

Amazed at the fish in the tank

Auntie Alyssa showing Emily the water life

Fascinated

Wanting to touch the water

Thrilled with the water fountain

Getting close to the water's edge, oh no!

Leaving home hand in hand with Nonna and her souvenir ball

Teething Avery

Poor Avery is teething so bad that anything that comes within her reach goes directly in her mouth to soothe her sore gums.  I am praying her first tooth pops out soon but her gums look thick and I have a feeling it's going to be a good while before her pearly whites make an appearance.

Beautiful smile

She is loving being outside

Getting a little sun

Chomping on my block

Yummy cookie